Man who ran over son, 4, while looking for scrap sentenced

MARYSVILLE, Ohio (AP) — A man who accidentally ran over his 4-year-old son while looking for scrap at a central Ohio construction site has been sentenced to six months in jail, most of which he's already served.

Natividad de Jesus Hernandez pleaded guilty to forgery and a misdemeanor negligent homicide count in January. Prosecutors agreed to drop charges of aggravated vehicular homicide, involuntary manslaughter and leaving the scene of a crash.

A Union County judge on Monday sentenced Hernandez, who had already served 167 days in jail, to a term of 180 days, The Columbus Dispatch (http://bit.ly/1Xr5nnE) reported. He also faces five years of probation.

On Dec. 26, 2013, Hernandez was picking through the trash at a construction site in Plain City, looking for scrap to sell. When a vehicle pulled in nearby, Hernandez loaded son Angel and two other young children into the family's van. The boy fell out of the open sliding door as Hernandez backed out, and the van ran over the boy.

Investigators say Hernandez is from El Salvador and used a permanent resident card with someone else's registration number. Questions about his immigration status remain unresolved.

His attorney, Scott Culbert, said the heartbroken man will seek a way to stay in the United States legally. Culbert said Hernandez is engaged and his 6-month-old daughter needs him.

"He'll never forget about what happened to Angel, or heal completely," Culbert said, "but he's ready to put this behind him and support his family."